Vanilla Sugar {Easy Homemade Gift}

Discover the simple steps for how to make Homemade Vanilla Sugar. There are so many uses for this delicious recipe and it makes an amazing gift!

Did you already start your homemade vanilla extract for the holidays? Do you have any vanilla beans left over? If the answer is yes, try your hand at making vanilla sugar.

What is Vanilla Sugar?

Blowing your mind here people, but it’s sugar. That has hints of vanilla in it. I know, shocking.

The vanilla flavor is super unique and can amp up your baking and cooking and take it to the next level. Plus, it’s insanely easy to make and is also a simple homemade holiday gift that people will love. For very little work, which is pretty much my favorite kind of gift to give!

How Do You Make Vanilla Sugar?

Place 2 cups of sugar into your lidded container of choice (I always use a mason jar). Split one bean in half, scrape the seeds out and add the seeds and the outer bean to the sugar.

Put the lid on, shake, and let sit for two weeks.

That’s it!

Pro Tips/Recipe Notes

The bean will get hard after a few days in the sugar (TWSS). That’s ok because it is still working hard doing its thing infusing all that delicious vanilla goodness!

Use any kind of sugar you’d like. But, in my opinion, brown sugar (related: How to Make Brown Sugar) would likely have too strong of a flavor to make much of a difference in the taste.

You can use spent beans from Homemade Vanilla Extract to extend their useful little vanilla lives, but you will want to make sure two things happen. One) have the beans dry out before adding them to the sugar and two) you’ll want to double the number of vanilla beans since some of the vanilla essence has already been used up for the extract.

Variations

Add some citrus zest (orange, lemon, lime, or grapefruit) for a delicious fruity flavor. Lime-flavored vanilla sugar would be amazing sprinkled on top of Key Lime Creme Brulee!

Or how about lavender vanilla? Dried culinary lavender added with the vanilla beans would make an amazing and unique flavor added to shortbreads or a homemade fancy coffee drink. I happen to know that white chocolate pairs really well with lavender lattes.

Place 2 cups of sugar into your lidded container of choice (I always use a mason jar).

Split one bean in half, scrape the seeds out and add the seeds and the outer bean to the sugar.

Put the lid on, shake, and let sit for two weeks.

Recipe Notes

Use any kind of sugar you'd like. Brown sugar (related: How to Make Brown Sugar) would likely have too strong of a flavor to make much of a difference in the taste.

You can use spent beans from Homemade Vanilla Extract to extend their useful little vanilla lives, but you will want to make sure two things happen. One) have the beans dry out before adding them to the sugar and two) you'll want to double the number of vanilla beans since some of the vanilla essence has already been used up for the extract.

Nutrition Facts

Vanilla Sugar {Easy Homemade Gift}

Amount Per Serving (1 tsp)

Calories 48

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 0g0%

Saturated Fat 0g0%

Cholesterol 0mg0%

Sodium 0mg0%

Total Carbohydrates 12g4%

Sugars 12g

Protein 0g0%

Iron0%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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This recipe was originally published in November 2011. It has been retested and updated with reader feedback. New photos have been added and the recipe has been made printable.